Part 7 in an online-only series

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By Brad Milner | News Herald Writer

Published: Tuesday, July 23, 2013 at 07:06 PM.

Game 8, Nov. 2, in Tallahassee, broadcast TBA, time TBA — Florida State’s fifth home game and sixth Atlantic Coast Conference contest … 57th meeting between the teams with Miami leading the series 31-25 … Features the return of James Coley to Tallahassee after leaving FSU for a job with Miami …... Follow Brad Milner on Twitter: @PCNHBradMilner ...

It’s not often Miami is favored to reach the Atlantic Coast Conference Championship Game when Florida State is not. You can count this as a rare season and we’ve not even reached fall practices.

Miami was the darling for the media in the recent ACC Football Kickoff with the Hurricanes a runaway choice to win the Coastal Division ahead of stalwart Virginia Tech, which took a dip in 2012. There’s good reason for the pick, however, as Miami returns 19 starters.

Miami coach Al Golden held the team together, for the most part, amid NCAA investigations that started in 2011 with a decision expected before this season. Miami was 7-5 in his second season at the helm against a schedule that included a victory over Virginia Tech and two losses by a combined five points. The Hurricanes were among three teams to finish 5-3 in the Coastal Division.

North Carolina earned tiebreakers over Miami and Georgia Tech, but the Tar Heels were sanctioned, both in-house and by the NCAA, stemming from academic fraud and impermissible benefits in 2008-09 and were ineligible for postseason play. Miami was next in line, but the Hurricanes also self-imposed a postseason ban for the second straight year, leaving Georgia Tech in the title tilt against FSU where it put up a valiant effort in defeat.

The extra hype surrounding Miami is nothing new. Check that, it would be nothing new if this were the early 2000s when the program was still in the former Big East Conference. Miami hasn’t seen anywhere near the success in the ACC as it enjoyed in the Big East.

The Hurricanes haven’t played in an ACC title game in the eight years the conference has pitted its two division opponents in early-December. Virginia Tech has appeared five times and Georgia Tech on three occasions. It won’t be a waltz for Miami to end the drought this season either.

Game 8, Nov. 2, in Tallahassee, broadcast TBA, time TBA — Florida State’s fifth home game and sixth Atlantic Coast Conference contest … 57th meeting between the teams with Miami leading the series 31-25 … Features the return of James Coley to Tallahassee after leaving FSU for a job with Miami …... Follow Brad Milner on Twitter: @PCNHBradMilner ...

It’s not often Miami is favored to reach the Atlantic Coast Conference Championship Game when Florida State is not. You can count this as a rare season and we’ve not even reached fall practices.

Miami was the darling for the media in the recent ACC Football Kickoff with the Hurricanes a runaway choice to win the Coastal Division ahead of stalwart Virginia Tech, which took a dip in 2012. There’s good reason for the pick, however, as Miami returns 19 starters.

Miami coach Al Golden held the team together, for the most part, amid NCAA investigations that started in 2011 with a decision expected before this season. Miami was 7-5 in his second season at the helm against a schedule that included a victory over Virginia Tech and two losses by a combined five points. The Hurricanes were among three teams to finish 5-3 in the Coastal Division.

North Carolina earned tiebreakers over Miami and Georgia Tech, but the Tar Heels were sanctioned, both in-house and by the NCAA, stemming from academic fraud and impermissible benefits in 2008-09 and were ineligible for postseason play. Miami was next in line, but the Hurricanes also self-imposed a postseason ban for the second straight year, leaving Georgia Tech in the title tilt against FSU where it put up a valiant effort in defeat.

The extra hype surrounding Miami is nothing new. Check that, it would be nothing new if this were the early 2000s when the program was still in the former Big East Conference. Miami hasn’t seen anywhere near the success in the ACC as it enjoyed in the Big East.

The Hurricanes haven’t played in an ACC title game in the eight years the conference has pitted its two division opponents in early-December. Virginia Tech has appeared five times and Georgia Tech on three occasions. It won’t be a waltz for Miami to end the drought this season either.

The bulk of the Hurricanes’ strength and returning experience lies on offense and it begins with senior quarterback Stephen Morris, who had a breakout campaign in 2012 as the full-time starter under center. The unit also received a boost from the hiring of James Coley as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. FSU fans are no strangers to Coley’s existence in Tallahassee for the previous five seasons under head coach Jimbo Fisher.

Miami’s defense also has a long list of returners with nine back in the fold. The defense is less experienced overall with six of those returners making fewer than 10 starts on a unit that will need to show immediate improvement for Miami to turn the corner.

Morris stands to improve on his 3,345 passing yards and 21 touchdowns with his cast of fellow returners. The list includes all five offensive linemen, a tight end and the team’s leading receiver and rusher. The latter, rising sophomore Duke Johnson, is primed for an even bigger season than the one he produced as a backup.

Johnson rushed for 947 yards and 10 touchdowns while appearing in each of the team’s 12 games with only five starts. He surpassed now departed starter, Mike James, by more than 300 yards and averaged an impressive 6.8 yards per carry. This is in addition to Johnson racking up 892 yards and two scores on kickoff returns.

Phillip Dorsett gives Morris another reliable target. The soon-to-be junior grabbed a team-high 58 passes for 842 yards, also tops on the squad, and four touchdowns. No receiver had more than four scores last season, as Morris spread the wealth among nine pass catchers.

The aforementioned defense is without fourth-leading tackler and linebacker Eddie Johnson, who couldn’t maintain discipline, was suspended for two games and ultimately signed with a junior college this spring. The Hurricanes atone for the loss with four starters back on the line, led by defensive end Shayon Green, and two linebackers that appeared with the first team in half the games last season.

Miami won’t be much better than 7-5 if it doesn’t turn around its propensity to give up points. The Hurricanes gave up 30 or more points in eight games. Opponents scored more than 40 four times and it’s no coincidence Miami was 1-3 in those contests.

Miami’s offense compensated with tallies of 40 and 52 in two of those games to earn a split. The Hurricanes’ offense is expected to be electric again and improvement on defense, even by 25% in scoring (30 points per game) could pay big dividends. Offense is not in doubt and defense will be the key factor in how well Miami holds up throughout 2013.

Fisher is 3-0 against Miami in his tenure. And yes, this game is at home. That said, FSU always has a game on its ledger that leaves people wondering about its readiness where odd things happen as if the Universe is against the Seminoles.

This is that type of game. It’s at the point in the season where both teams will be set on both sides, barring major injuries. It’s the kind of game where minor mistakes will prove major and the Hurricanes earn the edge in experience to overcome those, especially at the quarterback position.

First-glance prediction: If Miami is to take the next step then the Hurricanes will need a statement victory. This is the end of a three-game stretch for FSU that will determine the season and there will be questions about how mentally tough the team is at this point and this game could go either way. Miami will buck the trend and pull off a narrow victory in a high-scoring affair.

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